This historical mystery thriller does not disappoint. When Val Rtters sister is found dead of an apparent suicide in an old historic luxury hotel Val knows she must investigate. She knows her sister was not suicidal. With the help of a retired local detective Terry Martin, she begins to retrace her sisters steps the days before her death. What she and Terry discover is not at all what she was expecting, and frankly neither was I. There is also a parallel story at the same hotel being told from the year 1921. How these two stories compare is another part of the mystery. Great read, recommended. ( )

Mystery fans…this book is for you!

A rumored haunted hotel, suspicious deaths, dual timelines, and abusive husbands gave this book the perfect mix of suspense and mystery that made me fly through the book in one sitting!

This book has two storylines from the present and one from 1921.

Present Day: Val Ritter has been informed that her sister has committed suicide in a classic hotel in Baltimore, yet she doesn’t think for a second that her sister would do such a thing. She tells her story to a PI, Terry, who is intrigued by her story due to tales of many woman over the years dying. This hotel is rumored to be haunted but its all speculation.

1921: Young Bridget is to be married by a worldly man and her parents are pushing and encouraging her that he is the right man for her. Bridget has seen darker sides of him during their courtship, yet she keeps this a secret. They are married and their honeymoon stay is in the upscale Baltimore Hotel.

The author did an amazing job interweaving the two and I was shocked at how the two were connected.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @k.l_murphy and @camcatbooks for the gifted copy and having me on tour. ( )

This riveting murder mystery mesmerized from the first page!

Her Sister’s Death is a riveting tale of murder and deception. I was immediately invested in Val and Terry’s investigation and the flashback story of Bridget Wallace. The author makes the story come alive through three points of view: those of Val, Terry, and Bridget, and I was mesmerized by the telling.

All three of the main characters are likable protagonists. Val is steadfast in her belief in her sister and dogged pursuit of the truth. She and Terry make engaging and formidable partners, and I liked how quickly they became an effective team. I wouldn’t mind seeing this pair again in a sequel.

The 1921 storyline was frightening and tragic and all too easy to imagine happening. That poor girl is still so young and is facing a bleak future, even before she understands the true depths of her situation. The interactions with her fiancé and later husband, Lawrence, were almost too painful to read. And for me, there remain the questions: was it something evil inherent in the hotel, or is it the evil spirit of the man that continues to affect the guests of the Franklin, or has the spirit of the man become the spirit of the hotel?

I recommend HER SISTER’S DEATH for mystery readers who enjoy a touch of the paranormal in their stories, dual timelines, or mysteries set in hotels, the 1920s, or Baltimore.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. ( )

In Her Sister's Death, author K.L. Murphy transports the reader to Baltimore, Maryland, for an intriguing mystery tale that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

The story centers around Val Ritter, a crime investigative reporter for the Baltimorean Daily newspaper, who is determined to find out the truth behind her sister Sylvia's death at the Franklin Hotel. The police investigation claim the death preliminarily a suicide until the Medical Examiner's report is completed. Val meets Terry Martin, a retired detective who currently runs a security firm at the local library, and after she explains what happened to her sister, Terry tells her that the Franklin Hotel has a dark history of deaths occurring there, and he teams up with her to find out if Sylvia's death was a suicide, or if someone else caused her death. Terry knows the dark history of the Franklin Hotel, but he doesn't tell Val everything that he knows about it, especially about the story of a young woman named Bridget Wallace who stayed at the hotel in 1921 on the night of her honeymoon to a much older man, and the traumatizing events that occurred in the same suite that Sylvia stayed in. Can Val and Terry find out the truth about Sylvia's death at the Franklin Hotel, and how her death can be interconnected to the hotel's dark past of deaths that occurred there?

Author K.L. Murphy weaves a slow building and suspenseful mystery tale written in the alternating first person narrative that follows Val and Terry's investigation into Sylvia's death, and the third person narrative that follows the story of Bridget Wallace's stay at the Franklin Hotel in 1921.

The reader is easily drawn into this well written story with its richly descriptive plot and setting. It is filled with enough family drama and secrets, motives, possible suspects, action, and intriguing twists and turns that definitely keeps the reader guessing until the surprising conclusion.

This was a really intriguing story to read! The author does a wonderful job of providing enough clues to engage the reader, and I found myself so caught up on trying to figure out how Sylvia really died. I loved how Val and Terry used their expertise to put all the pieces of the puzzle together to get to the truth, and how Bridget's traumatic story was connected to their investigation. I was absolutely stunned by the conclusion! I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the hotel's dark history of death was eerie, and when you add in the tragedy behind both Bridget and Sylvia's stories, you can't help but feel goose bumps run up your arms.

Her Sister's Death will definitely take mystery readers on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Tours.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/11/her-sisters-death-by-kl-murph... ( )